


Treasure

by MistressOfMalplaquet



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Complete, Drabble, Gen, Oneshot, Some Fluff, bros being bros, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-23
Updated: 2013-10-23
Packaged: 2017-12-30 07:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1015740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressOfMalplaquet/pseuds/MistressOfMalplaquet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Forced to spend an afternoon together, Thor and Loki go on a treasure hunt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treasure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samdram1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samdram1/gifts).



**Treasure**

* * *

 

Jane and Thor walked to the orchard behind Loki’s Castle. Long, luminous shafts of sun struck between the trees, and the two laughed as Thor picked one apple and caused a shower of leaves and fruit to fall on them. “You are a menace,” Jane said and elbowed him. “Now, where are Natasha and – oh, just take a look.” She held up a hand, stopping her husband in his tracks.

Natasha sat with her legs curled to one side under one of the trees. Loki’s head was pillowed in her lap, and as Jane and Thor watched, the mischievous god tugged on the red curls to bring her face down to his for a long kiss.

“My brother would not want us to spy on them,” Thor whispered. “I will go and warn him now.”

“Wait for just one moment,” Jane breathed. “They – they look so beautiful together.”

He turned to her, laughter in his eyes. “They do, don’t they? A golden sight.”

“Oi! Bird head!” Loki bellowed. “I can hear you!”

Thor sighed and escorted Jane forward. Natasha rose to her feet, brushing leaves off her skirt, and she darted forward to pull Jane into a close embrace. “Here you are!” she exclaimed. “We have wine and refreshments set up just there, at a table. Come and eat.” She flicked her gaze over Thor and added, “I’ll wager you are hungry.”

“Wager?” Loki was amused. “You begin to talk like an Aesir, my love.”

“It is catching, isn’t it?” Jane sat and accepted a glass of wine. “I started using Thee and Thou the other day.”

“Let me guess – you were talking to Volstagg,” Natasha snickered.

“Yes, as a matter of fact I was.”

* * *

 

The two couples ate and drank. Once the food was cleared away, Natasha rose and beckoned to Jane. “I want to show you something and get your advice,” she said.

“Wait!” Loki scrambled to his feet. “We will attend you.”

“Give me some girlfriend time,” Natasha insisted. “You hang out with your brother for a bit.”

“But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?”

“I don’t know – talk? Reminisce? Discuss what wonderful wives you have?” Natasha flung an arm around Jane and pretended to pose prettily.

“We could go on a hunt, brother,” Thor suggested.

Loki shook his head. “Not in the mood.”

“Or for a ride,” Natasha said.

“Not in the mood for that either.” Obviously Loki was determined to be difficult.

His wife’s eyes narrowed as she felt in her pocket and withdrew a piece of parchment. “Here – have a look at this. I found it yesterday in one of the old cupboards in your castle - it seems to be some sort of a treasure hunt. Take your brother and see if you two can figure it out – bonus points if you return with an overflowing casket of jewels.”

Loki humphed but accepted the paper. He twitched his shoulder as Thor stood behind him to read the words:

 

_Becaught ’tween bitter, blackest Stonne_

_And Silver Moone whue Whenne on Highe_

_Revealeth preciouse Jewels faire_

_Inne Goldenne Chestt Wherre itte doth Lye._

 

“That makes everything clear,” Thor said in disgust. “Come, brother, let us away to the tavern to quaff ale while our ladies talk without us.”

“Actually,” Loki said slowly, “I think I know what this means and where to find it.”

“I knew it.” Natasha’s lips spread in a smile of smug satisfaction. 

* * *

 

On foot Loki led Thor along the Gopul River to a huge hill. A stream gushed out of its side, joining the mightier river and adding to the roar of the water. “We can enter that way,” Loki shouted, pointing to the split of rock where the tributary emerged.

“Excellent!” Thor roared with approval. “This is fine adventure indeed!”

The brothers entered the mountain and plunged into darkness. “Loki,” Thor began, but his brother already had a ball of light prepared, lighting the cave with its green glow.

“We shall have to wade upstream.” Without hesitation Loki started up the waterway, nimbly jumping from rock to rock. Thor followed more slowly, and when the large god nearly slipped Loki’s arm was ready to catch him, to keep him on his feet.

“My thanks. Must we slog through water the entire time?”

Loki pointed. “The place I am thinking of lies ahead to one side. It should get drier there.”

They scrambled up a hill and, as Loki predicted, the stream cut away from the path. Out of the freezing water the road eased, and Thor regained his good humour. “What glory if we should bring home a treasure!” he exulted. “Do you remember when we found that old armour in the Glade of Crystal and dragged it home?”

“And there were bones inside too. We got a thrashing, as I recall, from Petro.”

“Our old tutor – yes, I remember that as well. What a dull fellow he was!”

“Dull? I should say a thorough villain,” Loki snapped.

“You never did like him. Tell me, how do you enjoy married life, brother?”

“’Tis well enough.”

“High praise indeed,” Thor laughed. “No, truly – I mean it. You never speak sweet words of anything, so this tells me you have married well.”

Loki sighed, walked on for a few paces. “Natasha is the light in my world,” he admitted. “I cannot recall life without her, beyond our own exploits together, Thor. How did I spend my days before? I can barely recall now.” Thor made a noncommittal sound, and Loki cleared his throat. “And you? How does your marriage fare?” Presumably he wanted to change the subject.

“Beyond all words!” Thor waved his arms enthusiastically to make his point, and Loki ducked to avoid a blow. “Each day I discover a new dimension of my lady’s person – something to make me fall in love with her all over again. She is intelligent, funny, beautiful of course, determined, strong…”

“Yes, yes. I knew you would say all those things – I do not know why I bothered to ask.” Loki climbed a few more rocks and pushed his way past a section where the roof of the cavern had tumbled down before adding, almost shyly, “It is good, is it not? I was married before, but it was nothing like…”

“Oh, nothing like. Angrboda tricked you into the situation. My heart sank the first time I met that foul witch and realized she had enslaved you.” Thor smacked a rock with his hammer to make his point and it flew into a thousand pieces.

“I was easily led, you must admit.” Loki pointed ahead, where a shaft of light was coming through the hill to illuminate the dark interior. “We are growing close. I would think the treasure, if it ever existed at all, is long gone, but we shall discover anon. By the by, I agree with you about Angrboda – it was indeed trickery, more foul than you would ever imagine.”

Thor blundered past him and sank to examine where the light hit the rock underfoot. “You think this is the place?”

“ _Becaught ’tween bitter, blackest Stonne And Silver Moone whue Whenne on Highe_ ,” Loki quoted. “Look.” He indicated the rockshaft that allowed the light to enter the cavern. “When the moon is overhead, we shall see where the treasure lies.”

“We have to wait until then?”

“Unless you want to dig up the entire hillside. Besides, the ladies requested our absence – let us give it to them. By the time we reappear, they shall be panting to have us back by their sides.”

Thor frowned, a bit worried. “Loki, are you sure of this? I do not want to hurt my lady.”

“And thus she is overly certain of you. Give her a chance to wonder and guess for once – it will heat up your bed this night beyond belief.”

Emitting a long sigh, Thor settled himself on the floor. “Very well,” he conceded. “What shall we do until then?”

Loki dug in his pocket. “I have dice. And do you want mead? Perhaps some food?”

“Hel yes!” Thor sat forward and accepted a brimming glass.

* * *

 

They were so intent on their dice they nearly missed the moment of moonlight. Not only that, after several rounds of mead the brothers began to argue about who had the fairer lady. “”My Natasha has hair like the setting suns,” Loki declared.

“But my lady’s eyes are deep and brown as velvet, and far more soft.”

“Pish. Mine can take on any warrior.”

“Mine understands concepts we can only guess at.”

After while they ran out of accolades and contented themselves with pulling faces at each other and shoving with their elbows to get the better seat on the hard rock. Loki, having just won a toss, looked up and caught the narrow slice of silver as it cast a weak stream of light onto the black rock, just as the rhyme foretold. “There!” He indicated the rock. “Just a tap, Thor – do not incinerate the entire mountain with me in it.”

His brother carefully broke the boulder underfoot. There, among the rubble, lay a golden casket just as the rhyme foretold.

Flushed with victory, the brothers wrangled cheerfully over who would carry the prize home. Thor pointed out he had broken the rock, but Loki insisted he was the one to catch the moment of moonlight. At length Thor knocked him aside, seized the casket, and strode back, following the sound of the river. He was impatient to see Jane and tell her all about it.

* * *

 

When Loki and Thor triumphantly entered the sitting room where their wives sat chatting over more wine, Natasha jumped up. “Are you kidding me right now?” she shouted. “You are dripping water all over the carpet. Could you at least take your boots off – hang on! Is that treasure?”

“Aha!” Loki thrust the casket under her nose. “The Odinson boys triumph again! Fetch us mead, wife, as well as ale and a lot of food.”

“Have you opened it?” Natasha tugged on a bell rope absentmindedly as she considered the box. “What could be inside?”

“Thor, you are freezing!” Jane pointed to the door. “Go and remove your boots this instant. Natasha, I beg permission for us to spend the night. I am going to push this large oaf into a tub and make him scrub himself until I can see blond hair, not strands of mud.”

“I like her,” Loki said. He sloshed forward and gave Jane a wavering hug.

“Have you two been drinking?” Natasha put her hands on her hips. “And by all means, Jane. My devious idiot, I mean my dear husband is also going into a tub.”

“Ooh. And will you scrub my back?” Loki winked at her, raised and lowered his eyebrows.

Natasha rolled her eyes and, as the food arrived, held up a hand. “Not one crumb until those boots and coats are in the hall. And wipe your feet!” she shouted as a last retort as the chastened demigods disappeared.

* * *

 Over dinner Loki got out a selection of daggers and slender implements to open the chest. It stubbornly resisted his efforts, however, and at last he gave up. “Magic,” he said gloomily. “I shall have to study it.”

“Perhaps runes?” Jane suggested.

“No matter!” Thor shoved what looked like an entire loaf into his face and chewed. “It washfunjushlookigferrit.”

Loki tilted his head towards Natasha with a glance that dripped sarcasm. “I speak fluent Thor – he means ‘It was fun just looking for it.’ And, no, I do not believe runes will do it. Some other type of magic might be necessary…”

Thor swallowed mightily. “And what did you ladies do while we were chasing glory?”

“We weren’t exactly exchanging knitting patterns. Jane was describing her new research project, and I want to use it to develop a weapon.”

“I’m excited for an overnight,” Jane said out of nowhere. “Can you lend us both feetie pajamas? Can we stay up really late and play games in front of the fire? Got any brownies?”

“That sounds like a blast,” Natasha agreed. “But no to brownies. How about apple pie? Does that work?”

“Hell yeah it does.”

The brothers gave each other a long, grim look. “So much for heating up the beds,” Loki admitted, heaving a long sigh of despair.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Sandram1 for the prompt. This was a lot of fun!


End file.
